Police question Hanegbi on suspicion of taking a bribe

National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi was interrogated by police in his home on Sunday on suspicion of receiving a bribe in 2017.

He is alleged to have received NIS 10,000 for writing a recommendation letter for a Jerusalem airport project when he was Regional Cooperation Minister, Ynet reports.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office puts out a statement saying that “this is an investigation that is not related to the Prime Minister’s Office and the National Security Council, and relates to the publication of an event from seven years ago.”

Two other investigations have been opened recently into members of Netanyahu’s office.

A statement from Hanegbi says that the claim “was raised as part of a civil dispute between businessmen and was published two years ago.”

Hanegbi says he has “already denied these claims as soon as they were published and gave his version to the police as well.”

The Movement for Quality Government in Israel, a watchdog group, calls on Netanyahu to immediately suspend Hanegbi, saying the investigation against him raises suspicions that he has abused his public position for personal interests.

“At this time, when the country is at war and the National Security Council makes fateful decisions, it is unreasonable that the person who heads it is someone under investigation for bribery,” the organization says, adding that the Israeli public “deserves honest elected officials who act for the public interest alone.”